 "Ram Manjhi, Hindustani Awam Morcha, HAM")
As the Assembly polls are getting nearer in Bihar, politics with the Dalits as the centrepiece has gathered momentum. In keeping with past trends, influential leaders of the community are switching camps.
The Dalits constitute nearly 16 per cent of the vote and 38 seats are reserved for them in the 243-member Assembly.
They have played an important role in the political journeys of both Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) supremo Lalu Prasad.
Spate of defections
Senior Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] leader and former state industries minister Shyam Rajak has returned to the Rashtriya
